Shadow
by Infatuated-Simplicity
Summary: Neji had intended to use his time off to create a new jutsu, one entirely his own. Sadly destiny spat in his face once more. For the foreseeable future, he would be shadowing Hinata and Naruto on all of their outings. As if two grown adults needed to be chaperoned... but perhaps by ensuring their happiness he can find his own. NejixSaku. AU. Not canon compliant.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: I have only just discovered that this past year had been my most active on FF since I first began writing 13 years ago. I may have published more stories in 2005 but I'm not far behind this year in the number of stories and as for word count I'm well ahead. It's always interesting to go back and see where you started and I must say that while I have quite a ways to go, I am sincerely proud of my achievements as a writer thus far. Anyway, I want to put out that this is NejixSaku, and that *spoiler* he does not die. We are diverting from canon in that regard. This is also primarily a romance and a comedy. Now before my regulars get upset I PROMISE I am still working on the Breath of Fresh Air installments. It's just taking me a while (trying to figure out what I was thinking 3 years ago is proving more complicated than originally anticipated) but I think it will be worth it because I have a new plan of action now. Please bear with me. In any case, I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters.

* * *

Neji let out a grunt of frustration to no one in particular. Today was not his day; nor had yesterday been, nor the day before that.

He was struggling, something he was not at all accustomed to. He had a few well earned weeks off from missions, barring some sort of emergency, and the prized ANBU captain intended to use them to the fullest. At least he had hoped to. With the way things had been progressing over the last few days it would take him much longer than anticipated.

Was it so much to ask that he be able to lay claim to a jutsu that was solely his own? He had mastered even the most advanced Hyuuga techniques ages back and had now climbed the rosters all the way up to leading the most successful team in ANBU. Not that anyone really knew that, none that were not privy to the hokages records and rosters. Regardless, his accomplishments were vast and impressive and he was ready for a new challenge. Sadly things were not going smoothly.

His body and mind were not in sync and had rebelled against him in practice the days before. No one else would have noticed, but he did. His movements were a fraction slower than was acceptable in his mind and his thoughts were not as sharp as they should have been. None of his missions had been too taxing but he had been using his byakugan a significant amount of late. Thus he decided that today would be spent realigning himself. After many years of mediation it should have come easily enough to him, so he focused on a clear mind and his breathing.

Never mind the fact that he had almost fallen out a a tree whilst on his last mission. He had only just managed to stay upright. Thank Kami none of his team had noticed, or if they did they had not said anything. And he was not going to mention that he had only just managed to stop himself from pitching straight into his dinner the night before, something that caused his uncles brow to rise and Hinata to gasp in shock. Or that Hanabi had nearly startled him out of his skin not but half an hour ago because he simply had not detected her. All of that was irrelevant. There was nothing really wrong. Nothing that would not fix itself. That is what he kept telling himself anyway.

No matter how many times over the last few days he had repeated that nothing was wrong (a denial that was becoming harder and harder to believe), his chakra did not flow as evenly as he would have liked and it was causing problems. Control was one of the things he prided himself on and at the moment he was lacking in that department. Regardless, and doing his best not to get frustrated, he kept at it. His body and mind be damned, he was going to perfect this stupid jutsu if it was the last thing he ever did.

A niggle at the back of his mind brought a crease to his brow. All of this could be avoided if he just went down to the hospital and found out what the problem was, assuming that there was one. He did not think it to be a major issue, rather something small that was causing him to be a little off his game. Or a lot off his game. A shudder ran down his spine. He avoided the hospital at all costs if he could. After the war he had spent more than enough time there for one life. He only ever went back if he had absolutely no choice.

Between the overattentive nurses, the food, the smell, and just about everything else he dreaded to even think about setting foot through those doors. There was nothing good about going to the hospital. An image flashed in his mind. Pink, green, and a bright smile reminded him that there was at least one thing about the large white building that was not so bad.

Sakura was often found there treating patients and doing rounds. If he was going to go he would be seeing her and no one else, but it could wait until whatever this was got worse. Right now it was just a mild annoyance. He did not want to disturb her over something so trivial when there were others who needed her expertise for much more serious matters.

He felt a pulse of energy flare on the veranda which interrupted his thoughts. It was disappointing to see his uncle standing near by. He had hoped to get at least an additional hour or two of mental and emotional stabilization in before he began to train.

"Neji, join me." It was a command, not request, but this particular demand had an edge to it that could not be ignored. Neji wanted to frown but refrained. It was unlike his uncle to be so riled but that was the best way to describe his demeanor. Almost unnoticeable to others Neji spotted the twitch in the middle aged mans hands and and almost desperate expression on his face hidden behind the impassive facade. It was unsettling to see Hiashi so uncomfortable and it in turn made Neji wary, though he was fairly positive he had not been the one to cause such a state of agitation.

Together they silently made their way towards the tea room. Such was not unusual. It was about the right time of day for his uncle to take one of a few tea breaks. Normally if he bothered to drag his nephew away form training there was a good reason for it so Neji did his best to think positively.

All of that was dashed as Hiashi opened the door, positivity replaced with befuddlement and more than a couple of questions that begged to be answered. Hiashi stepped into the traditional room expecting Neji to follow. The clan leader shifted to the side, allowing Neji to move past him.

There sitting at a small table was Hinata and much to Neji's surprise Naruto, who sat glaring across the table with his arms crossed over his chest. "Nii-san," the raven haired girl greeted, a sentiment that was quickly followed up by a grunt from the man at her side, though blue eyes never left whomever he had them transfixed on.

"Neji." And there was the reason that everyone seemed so damned fidgety. His grandfathers presence always put everyone on edge, particularly if he was being forceful.

It was clear that today was one of those days where they all wished he was occupied elsewhere, making himself a nuisance to the Konoha council or better yet overseeing the younger generations training sessions. Instead he had taken a seat at the head of the Hyuuga council, which meant that more often than not they had to deal with him in clan matters. It also put him at odds with the clan leader on a great many things, but butting heads with his son had never seemed to bother the eldest Hyuuga in the least. Neji's grandfather was ornery on the best of days and based on the way his jaw was jutting out and how high he held his nose the older man was attempting to throw his weight around. Neji wanted to walk into the other room and pretend like he had never been called.

Was it so much to ask that the previous clan leader finally accept his retirement and sail through his golden years drinking tea and visiting the local onsen?

Apparently so, for he had yet to do anything of the kind. No, instead of relaxing the Elder was here sticking his nose into places it did not belong, namely everyone else's business. If Neji was any judge such would be the case until the day he left them for good. Further more he did not understand why in the name of Kami everyone allowed him to do so. It was probably some misguided attempt to respect ones elders. Still, it was not his place to question the operations of the main house, no matter how much trust they placed in him. So he held his tongue and put his best foot forward. "Jii-sama, I see you are well," he said doing his best not to sound overly curt.

His efforts were ignored as wisened eyes barely flickered over his person before closing smugly once more. "Back from another successful mission?"

He hated when his grandfather tried to probe into subjects he knew he was not supposed to. They all knew Neji could not talk about his assignments and thus there was no point in asking. His grandfather was the only person he knew that had yet to take the hint. Being refused an answer was not something he was accustomed to and thus always made the veins at his wrinkled temples throb in annoyance. Still, the elders discomfort was not going to cause Neji to divulge information. He was an ANBU captain for a reason, and he was considered the best for many reasons; his success rate and confidentiality being at the top of said list. "It is confidential," he said purposefully, knowing that it got on the mans nerves, taking a great deal of satisfaction from that small victory.

Hinata, who was more well versed in his reserved nature, understood what he meant and knew that had he not been successful he would still be out traversing the continent to ensure he eventually would be. "C-c-congratulations Nii-san," she whispered with a small smile.

Naruto was also pleased, he could tell, but was still too annoyed to grin as he usually would have. Something had gotten under his skin and whatever it was had to be important. "Yeah, good job buddy."

The atmosphere in the small tea room was stifling. A part of him wanted to firmly excuse himself and find a nice quiet place to wait this out, but he had never been one to turn away from duty or clan matters. This appeared to be both of those things with the added bonus of having Naruto involved. He was inclined to stay no matter the level of discomfort to make sure that his family, namely his grandfather, treated the jinchuriki with the respect he painstakingly earned.

Neji acknowledged the praise with the incline of his head. After a moments silence he decided to break the standoff that had developed, for they would get nowhere if someone did not fill him in on the matter at hand. "If I may ask, what is this all about?"

His change in subject caused the muscles in Naruto's jaw to pulse. "I'm asking your uncle for permission to date Hinata-chan." There was a bit of his usual self back in his voice at the statement, particularly when the lady in question turned to give him a small but beaming smile.

"Court," Hiashi corrected as gently as he could manage, taking into account that his father was about to object less polietly. The interjection silenced the eldest Hyuuga but the withering stare he received in return left Hiashi more than a little annoyed. With as much of a growl as his formality would allow Hiashi sent a scathing glance towards his father, one that was promptly ignored. "and we have come to an impasse."

A snort from the corner made all heads turn in part because of the implication, which most of them were thinking, and in part because such noises were generally considered rude. There were many things his grandfather found to be intolerable and rudeness was one of them, though Neji found that to be particularly hypocritical being as though the older man had a reputation for brusque behavior. His younger cousin sat against the wall with one hand resting on her bent knee, an action that resembled his younger years, particularly when a displeased sneer darkened her features. "Of the ridiculous variety."

"Hanabi, this is not to be scoffed at," the Elder scolded his youngest grandchild, after realizing Hiashi had no intention of doing so. The clan leader sat stone faced with his hands folded into his sleeves doing his best not to snap at anyone. Clan politics could be difficult to maneuver around when it came to family matters, and as the Elder was present in his official capacity it made things doubly tedious.

She rolled her eyes, a gesture Naruto would not have picked up on but the rest certainly did. "I'm not scoffing, I'm stating the obvious. This is stupid. Even To-sama thinks so," she said glaring at the elderly man whose imposing presence was stifling any sort of sentiment that might have otherwise been present.

"But whatever it takes." The hardened steel in Naruto's voice was sharp and it made Neji even more curious as to what exactly had transpired so far.

If he had to take a guess all had been well until the Elder had arrived, somehow managing to bring a gleeful sister, doting father, and elated couple back down to earth. Hiashi would not have wanted to jump straight into whatever issue was but he had been forced to put his celebrations on hold. In an attempt to avoid any further problems, and also to help keep his sanity, Neji had been called in to referee the discussion.

If that had been all Neji would not have been so worried. It was not that unusual for the clan to be at odds with the main family for one reason or other. Of the few times he had been called in to monitor the family discussions it was always because he was involved in some way. He could not imagine what any of this had to do with him, but his older cousin was currently regarding him with a level of apology hither to unseen.

This could only mean trouble.

Neji said nothing. Instead he turned to the Elder, the set of his jaw and the sharpness in his all seeing eyes demanded an explanation. If he was honest he was more than a little agitated too. His beloved cousin had finally gotten the one thing in the world she truly wanted and it was being marred by something that had thus far been called ridiculous and stupid by his astute younger cousin. They should have been celebrating not arguing over semantics, no matter the variation. So he waited, pinning his grandfather down with a withering stare that made even the old man nervous.

The older man held his head high and straightened his back, an attempt to look taller and more imposing but one that failed. No matter how hard he tried his grandson would cut a more intimidating figure, standing significantly taller than most of the men in his family, particularly in the main branch. "I was just passing through when I overheard the wonderful news and decided to congratulate Hinata and Naruto," he explained carefully, drawing out his words so that that he knew they were all paying close attention. "and make sure that tradition is upheld as is my duty as the leading clan elder."

It did not take long for Neji to figure out which tradition his grandfather alluded to. There were many but only would have been applicable in this specific situation. It was an old by law, one that had not been required since before his birth. He was immediately apprehensive and was fairly positive that it showed on his face. Surely such an outdated practice had been done away with by now, at least he would have hoped such to be the case. His uncle grimaced, something he had only seen on the rarest of occasions, and it spoke volumes. "Which is why I have called you here," Hisashi said with as much of a huff as had ever been heard from him before.

Neji's face fell an expression he could not have hidden if he had tried. He took a deep breath. This would not end well. No matter how he looked at it someone was going to end up drawing the short stick. In his experience it tended to be him. He also knew exactly where this was going, though it had not been confirmed.

"We will require a guardian to accompany the couple for a time on all of their outings; shadow them, if you will. That is assuming that they wish to proceed." Neji scowled. He had been right to be dubious. This custom had been seen in the past as more of a formality than anything else. Still if something went wrong for any reason it was always the chaperone that got the brunt of the punishment. And he got the feeling their grandfather was not going to be volunteering himself to be the couples shadow, never mind the fact that he was probably best suited for the role.

The implication was clear. Without a guardian present the courtship would not be deemed valid by the council, and it would have to be for them to progress in the relationship in any official capacity.

Neji agreed with Hanabi; this was stupid.

Naruto was the most powerful shinobi the world had ever witnessed, save perhaps Uchiha Sasuke. Of the two he was far more respected. He constantly strove to be a good example and was praised the world over for his devotion to Konoha and the notion of peace. Any family would be lucky to have him. Neji knew for a fact that many clans were vying for his attention in one manner or another. And yet here he was declaring his love for their Hinata, who was finally getting everything she ever wanted. They should have been welcoming him with open arms, damn near kissing his sandals, and rejoicing through the streets. Yet his Jii-sama had Uzumaki Naruto in a place few others would ever find him, at his mercy. It was true that Hiashi could override the Hyuuga council but it would make things horrendously uncomfortable were he to do so and everyone knew it.

"Of course we wish to proceed," Naruto bit back with a snort, neither afraid nor intimidated by the eldest Hyuuga, nor did he have reason to be under normal circumstances. There was no one, save possibly the wandering Uchiha, that could match Naruto in an all out battle. Sadly there was one way to keep the energetic blonde at bay and she was seated next to him.

His grandfather would never describe it as such but the Hyuuga elder had the jinchuriki by the short and curlies and he knew it. It showed in his demeanor when speaking to the young blonde. "I suggested your cousin Tokajin, but Hiashi thought that was imprudent. So we put our heads together and came up with a better option." There was a sly quality to his words and Neji felt a sinking sensation fill his chest.

His mind railed against what he knew was coming but he desperately hoped he was wrong. He had been looking forward to his hard earned time off. The short reprieve from ANBU was exactly what he needed in order to discover that new jutsu. It did not need to be impeded by this nonsense.

"We did, there is only one person I trust with such a task," Hiashi stated with pride turning to meet his eye, finally seeming a little less annoyed than he had been. Neji knew his uncle trusted him but for the first time he sort of wished he did not.

The gravely voice of the Elder held a level of haughtiness that should have been illegal. "Someone highly trusted that knows them both well. You for instance."

With that one simple sentence he felt his stomach churn in a rather aggressive manner. His mind raced. There had to be a way out of this. So far he could only see one. Claiming to be busy was not an option- they all knew he was on leave. He could not say he was not suited to the job. He was and it would be relatively easy so far as the actual requirements were concerned. And he could not just say no. Well that is to say that he could, but it would be highly improper to do so. Regardless he was tempted to anyway. In fact given the opportunity he was pretty sure he would. It was not exactly an order but neither had he been outright asked for his consent yet. The Elders typically did not bother. He was a branch member and his grandfather did not see the point in asking for his opinion when dealing out commands, where as his uncle was far more considerate. Still Hiashi had the Elder ridding his back with the weight of the rest of the clan elders on his side and there was no telling how it would play out.

Fate took a dump on his hopes and dreams once more in the form of his meddlesome grandfather, whom Neji was tempted to murder in his sleep. All of his free time, from now until the two got married if his grandfather had any say, would be spent babysitting a pair of grown adults while they courted. Worse yet the woman in question was his beloved cousin and the man his trusted friend. To Neji it meant he was intruding on a very private matter, something they should have been able to decide on their own. Most importantly he knew his own tendencies. He was very protective of his cousins and the last person he wanted to be protecting them from was Naruto.

A small voice cut through his musings. "N-n-nii-san, are you alright?" Two pearly moons peered back at him from a curtain of black bangs, still hesitant and shy despite having known him most of her life.

A sour taste filled his cheeks. No, he was not alright however he was not going to tell her that. The last thing he wanted was his cousin thinking her happiness was putting him out in anyway, even if he felt another would be better suited to this particular role. "I am fine, Hinata-sama."

"Will you accept the post?" Hiashi pressed, eager to put an end to the issue for a time at least. With some planning and a great deal of tact, and quite probably an underhanded move or two, he might be able to convince his father to back off. Still it was a relief to know that in the mean time the young couple would be under the watchful eye of his nephew and not one of his fathers lackeys. The last thing the young pair needed was to be sabotaged or tattled on. Neji would make sure all was above board without getting in their way, giving him the time to win over some of the less traditional clan elders.

"I believe another may be-" The following refusal died on his lips. A tug on his sleeve made his head shoot over to the woman who silently pleaded with him. It was true that their relationship had been strained in years past, but since the first chunnin exam he had made it a point to get to know his cousins. He saw them as little sisters and it was hard to deny them anything, particularly when he took into account how often they asked him for things. Hinata was not one to ask for anything at all, yet here she was begging him to accept. With a resigned sigh his tone changed. "I will accept."

A smirk graced wrinkled features. "Good. You will go on every outing with them until it is deemed acceptable for them to be on their own." His job done, the Elder left with a hurried shuffle.

Hiashi was quick to follow bringing Hanabi with him. They turned in the direction of the east wing where another prominent clan elder resided. It might take a while to change the councils collective mind, assuming any of them had actually been informed of the impending courtship, but at least the clan leader as wasting no time.

"You mean until I prove how serious I am," Naruto stated ruefully, doing his best to keep the frustration out of his voice. A blush from Hinata had the young man at her side with an arm around her waist in a heart beat. Before Neji knew what happened Naruto was whispering something in her ear that made her blush deepen and a giggle erupt from behind her hands. Neji had heard that two people in love could be adorable and nauseating at the same time. He got the feeling that these two might fit into that category. He cleared his throat, a reminder that they were both still Hyuuga halls and more importantly in his presence. It had the intended effect and Naruto stopped canoodling for a moment. "Don't worry Neji, I'll be on my best behavior," he swore with a cheeky smile and a quick squeeze of his intendeds waist.

Neji knew that smile. It held all of Naruto best intentions with a bit of mischief tucked into its recesses. "Somehow I doubt that," he said dubiously. With a turn on his heals he was ready to get back to work.

An indignant cry followed in his wake, causing his feet to stop in their determined walk towards the Hyuuga gardens he had been haunting until his untimely summoning. "Where are you going? Hinata-chan and I were hoping to go on a date today, now that we have official permission and all."

Neji did his best not to notice that a stray hand was sitting awfully low on Hinata's hip, calloused fingers thrumming because Naruto was unable to sit still for too long. The whole process was going to be uncomfortable for all three of them, and Neji was eager to leave. As if all of this was not bad enough he still had to right his chakra issue, something that would continue sour his mood until rectified. "Nii-san has been trying to figure out a new j-j-jutsu," she stated quietly, wide and inquisitive gaze searching for a sign that he had figured it out already and not finding it.

The whiskers on Naruto's face scrunched up in understanding, a reminder that while the nin was powerful and incredibly skilled it often took him quite some time to master his skills. He knew a bit about trying and failing, much more than Neji did. "Ah, well you should see Sakura-chan. She always helps me when I'm having issues."

Neji blinked once for good measure. Pink and green swirled in his minds eye. "Sakura-san?" The question flowed out of his lips before he thought to stop it. It was odd. He had just been thinking of her before this whole debacle began. Perhaps it was a sign.

"Yeah she's really good at this sort of thing. You know, solving puzzles and stuff. Plus she knows a lot about different techniques, how chakra works, and how the body does it's thing." His hands shifted in front of his chest erratically, referencing his own chakra system that Neji was positive had been explained to him too many times by too many people for him to be getting the motion wrong, and yet here they were.

Neji stared as the awkward motion continued and it dawned on him somewhat belatedly that Naruto was not going to stop until he got some sort of answer. Having faced the insurmountable stubbornness once too many times in the past he knew better than to ignore the suggestion. Since the wars end the beloved hero had been considerably more aware of his friends general health. At the tiniest mention that one of them was ailing he marched them down to the hospital, his best intentions on display for all of Konoha to see. Neji could envision such an outcome and the picture in his mind was not ideal. With the barest of grimaces he consented in the most noncommittal manner possible, hoping it would appease the sage. "I see. I will consider it."

His words had the desired effect and Naruto turned his head longingly towards the now famous ramen stand that stood a few blocks down. Neji guessed that as soon as they parted the impending hokage would find himself perched behind the counter top, slurping down noodles and broth until his belly protruded. "When you're done, we'll meet back here at 7. I'm guessing we can't be alone together until this is all settled?" With their silence as his answer he let out a sigh, crossing his arms over his chest in affront. "Figures," Naruto grumbled, more than a little put out under the circumstances.

Neji took the opportunity to make his escape lest he think too much about how forlorn Naruto sounded. He was happy for them, truly, but he would need a little bit of time to come around to the idea of them being so affectionate in front of him as he was not used to such displays, particularly when they involved someone he regarded as a younger sibling. In addition he was not sure where the line was to be drawn as to his new duties.

Were they allowed to hold hands? Kiss? What was protocol? And did he even care what the official protocol was?

He would need to think on that and decide and that would take a few moments of coming to terms with the new arrangement. The best way to go about it was meditation, where he always worked through his problems. His head turned back towards his destination, long brown hair shifting with the transition. The feel of cloth pulling on his wrist halted his retreat.

"Hinata-sama?" Her name held the slightest air of a question to it, the upturn of his voice at the end of her honorific a sign that he was listening despite the fact his back was turned.

"Thank you, Nii-san," she whispered reverently. The hand that fisted into the sleeve of his gi was a firm steady presence, a sign of the strength that she held within and often chose not to display. Her voice was a steady stream when she continued. "thank you very much."

Slowly her hand let go and his shoulders relaxed marginally, but he knew she could tell, such were their powers. "Hn."

* * *

Neji tried to release the furrow in his brow but failed, just as his mediation had failed. Calm focus had failed to give him an answer to his problem concerning his chaperoning duties and failed to fix his chakra flow. Just another failure in a short string of fails that was beginning to drive him a little bit insane.

Naruto's words haunted him for the rest of the afternoon and after repeated failings on his part he found himself at the steps of the dreaded hospital. He was loath to even make his way to the door lest he find someone prepared to drag him inside. If he was going to do this it would be in his time, not because someone rushed him into it. Just the thought of one of the nurses staring up at him with wide eyes, doting and fretting over him made his stomach churn violently. There were few things he hated more than being made a spectacle over or drawing unwanted attention. The hospital brought both of those unwanted elements in droves.

Through the clear sliding doors he could see a nurse had already spotted him. A sharp inhale signified his discomfort as she made her way towards him with a wide smile and overly excited gait. His eyes darted about the building. Technically he was not supposed to use his byuakugan on civilians, of which there were plenty minding their own business in the hospital. On top of that there was the fact that by doing so he would be invading plenty of peoples right to privacy, but he needed to find Sakura and quickly. He could think of no more effective way to get in and get out while avoiding every other person in the place. Even so the nurse heading his way called for a retreat and a more focused strategy. She was too eager at the sight of him to be trusted. That was not to say that he thought all the nurses were interested in dating him, but the predatory quality in her gaze and blush on her cheeks stated loud and clear that she was one to be avoided. He took a step back, ready to disappear to the roof and search from there.

A hand at his back sent his mind into overdrive. He did not jump, though anyone else would have. Instead he automatically began utilizing his chakra, byakugan activated.

"Neji-san, what brings you here?" The cheerful voice interrupted his plans, effectively bringing his automatic defense to a screeching halt, the veins around his eyes diminishing as quickly as they had been activated. She had manged to walk up behind him, into his blind spot no less, without gaining his attention. It was not a feat that just anyone could manage, even when he was distracted. Then again Haruno Sakura was not just your average nin, he reminded himself. She was far more than that. This had not been the first time she had managed to sneak up on him and therefore it could not be chalked up to his current predicament.

Her pretty eyes, soft smile, delicate appearance, candy colored tresses, and overall reassuring nature belied a force of nature that lurked just under the surface of the woman who was in many ways multifaceted emotionally, professionally, and intellectually. She was a series of contradictions, an amalgamation of polar opposites that meshed into a genuinely interesting and deadly combination.

But at the moment her softer side was on display, her head tilted to the side curiously. Her lab coat was slung over an arm that held a to-go cup expertly. She walked to his side in uncomfortable looking high heals which she wore with grace.

The automatic doors opened as she stepped past him, an invitation lingering in the way her gait slowed. Her emerald eyes beckoned him to join her when she turned her head as she took a sip of her coffee. She was expecting him to follow her. He had been standing before the doors of her work place for a reason, whatever it turned out to be. She hardly needed to be a genius to figure out that he needed something. Before he knew what he was doing he had moved, falling into line with her step and he wondered how she had manged it. With any other he would have hesitated before following them with such blind trust into a building he disliked but not her. No, she silently asked him to go inside and he did so. It was a quandary he would examine later, possibly during his babysitting duties.

"I need an examination," he said stepping into the cool building, the air conditioning ghosting across his skin pleasantly. He picked up his pace slightly to catch up, not wanting her to be called away now that he had managed to get a hold of her without having to go through the conventional process of waiting in a sterile room that reeked of antiseptic and bleach or the more underhanded methods of seeking her out.

"Oh, anything serious?" she asked as his longer strides brought them side to side. The man marching next to her was not known to take things lightly thus he was here for a purpose, of that much she was positive. His fists clenched at his side at the breezy quality of her tone, but not because he was upset with her. Pupil-less eyes looked around the busy lobby and hall warily. She had known Hyuuga Neji long enough to know what that meant. Whatever was on his mind, or rather was wrong, would not be announced here. She had planned on having a few selfish moments to finish her coffee in her office by herself but she could identify a cry for help when she saw one. "I have a few minutes. Follow me," she said guiding him towards an examination room that she knew was empty for the time being. Silently they moved through the door and she held her hand up to show him to the table which he promptly settled onto.

Once his long limbs were dangling from the table she stepped towards him. She knew she should have had his file to continue but the likely hood of him staying if she wandered off was slim, so she decided to proceed without it. Whatever was wrong could be documented after he left. She held a green chakra laden hand up, one that she knew he was expecting and announced her intentions. "I'm going to check your system, ok?"

He was aware that she was asking rhetorically. They both knew that while he was not the ideal patient, as he rarely came in for medical assistance, once there he did everything asked of him so long as she did not leave the room. Regardless, he always gave her verbal permission in the form of his signature grunt. "Hn."

After a short time her forehead creased in concentration. "Well, that's odd. Have you had trouble with your chakra flow recently?" It was veiled as a question, but Neji knew that she already had a very good idea as to what was going on and merely wanted confirmation of her diagnosis. A steady stare from him told her the truth that he did not wish to acknowledge. It had been bothering him, probably more than he would ever admit, even to himself. She wanted to shake her head but refrained as such an action would not go over well with her current audience. She did not know what it was about geniuses, but they always had too much pride for their own good.

Neji might have been prideful but she also suspected that he hesitation in getting an examination had other more selfless elements. For a start he probably had not wanted to bother her nor did he wish to concern his family, a fact that had been present since his near death experience in the war. He had often set his pride aside for the betterment of his clan, family, and friends.

She found that to be most admirable, a fact that she was not sure he was aware of.

"Well I'm glad you came in. You have a few small things that need to be addressed, namely some build up behind your eyes and residual side effects from an indirect impact to your spine." He did recall the encounter with a rouge Oto nin on this last mission, whose sound wave technique had gotten awfully close to hitting him. He had assumed that he had deflected all of it, but apparently it had not been completely neutralized. Thinking back that had been around the time he noticed the issue.

She registered the recognition in his eyes and took the opportunity to look at at him through thick dark lashes. For an instant he was hypnotized, his all seeing eyes taking into account the depth of emotion and the gradients of emerald green he found. Had her eyes always been this interesting? He had not noticed until then but now that he had it was almost impossible to stop looking. Her voice brought focus back to the world around them, but it left him wondering if her voice had always had such a soothing quality to it. "You should really come in when something like that happens. I'll just be a minute and then you'll be fit as a fiddle."

Neji regarded the professional but slightly bemused glace she regarded him with warmly and simply stared. "Thank you," he said allowing her to get on with her work but never taking his eyes off of her.

"Working on a new jutsu?" she asked, clearly curious. A brown brow rose just enough to show that he was surprised by her well educated guess. He had not thought it possible for her to tell such a thing through a simple examination. "Hinata told me," she admitted freely with a shrug. Her explanation made sense. Hinata was often concerned about him. She said he worked too much. His shy cousin was probably right but he was not going to admit that.

Instead his expression softened at the genuine interest that Sakura displayed. "Yes," he said watching as she gathered her coffee cup and a pen, ready to get to her next appointment.

"Well, good luck. I'm sure it will be formidable." She waved to him softly with a small smile firmly in place. There was a keen glint of knowing glowing back at him from deep within the facets of her emerald eyes, one that he could not place. It mattered very little whether he could place it or not. The look was beguiling, unintentionally so, and he found himself thinking that it suited her. A call from the hallway turned her attentions and sooner than he would have liked she was heading out the door. "It was good to see you Neji-san." Her voice called to him as wisps of pink fluttered in the air. She was always so busy these days.

In an instant the door was closed and she was walking down the hall, an action he felt need to watch. His time with her had been pleasant and he truly felt better for coming to the building he disliked so much. "Likewise," he said, keeping an eye on her until she entered the next examination room.

He could not be sure what it was but something about her, possibly everything, intrigued him. He was also not really sure how he felt about that. Up until this point he had focused on his career, setting all else aside. He found himself wondering if it was not about time to change that. With much to contemplate he set off towards the center of town.

* * *

End comments: So we begin. I want to just say and make it very clear that Neji is not uncomfortable with Naruto making moves on Hinata because he has romantic feelings for her. He sees her as a sister and is in the process of coming to terms with the fact that his little sister is now in a romantic relationship with his very good friend. This is a comedy so the next chapter starts off a series of entertaining events centered around Naruto and Hinata dating and Neji having to babysit them. I don't want to demonize 'the Elder', but he is very traditional where as the rest are not so much anymore. I tried to figure out what his name was but apparently he has not be given one? If I'm wrong about that let me know. Also I do not find the clan and Hiashi butting heads to be far fetched. We know that they have in the past and that clan leaders have elders for a reason. Hiashi could put his foot down but he is trying to go about this in the most diplomatic fashion, as we all know he tends to stick to the rules most of the time. I see 5 or 6 chapters to this, at least that's what I have planned so far. As always have no beta so please forgive any mistakes you may find. Also reviews and constructive criticism are very much welcome and appreciated, but please, no flames. Thanks for reading! Until next time!


	2. Chapter 2

Authors Note: Here we are after much longer than I had hoped. My apologies. I toiled with a part of this for a while and got stuck but I figured it out. And now with all of that sorted we are onto the chapter. I don't have too much to say. So without further ado, I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters.

* * *

Neji could hardly believe the rest of his afternoon had gone so quickly. He left the hospital with time to spare, hoping to think over a few things before he was thrust headlong into chaperoning. First and foremost on his mind was, for the first time in a while, not the jutsu he was attempting to discover. No, instead his visit with Sakura played over in his mind as he walked down the streets of Konoha.

His own thoughts were astonishing and, in a way, preposterous. He rarely had time to train these days yet he had stepped out of the hospital considering pursuing the equally busy Haruno Sakura. It was not logical, nor did it seem feasible. Yet he had heard that in such instances logic and reason had very little to do with it. Still, the idea did not sit well with him and he found himself mulling over it. The more he thought about it the less he found himself thinking about the sense of it and the more he found himself going over his busy schedule in an attempt to find time for such a pursuit- another fact that that concerned him. He had just about come to the conclusion that he would forgo his morning meditation to see her only to remind himself that there was no guarantee that she would be free every morning. In fact he was positive that she was rarely free at such a time, thus he kept moving things around in his mind. The only way he could see around it was to somehow convince Naruto and Hinata to take a night off here and there, specifically when Sakura was free. He liked her and if he could he would spend more time with her.

He was so engrossed that he almost failed to notice Lee making a sprint in his direction. Thankfully he did notice and all thoughts of Sakura were put on hold. After a quick discussion involving a flurry of 'youth' and 'fiery passion', he agreed to train with his old teammate for a short interval. He could not claim to be surprised but just as Sakura had promised he was fit as a fiddle. There was no more pain, no more delays, and no more pesky flow issues with his chakra.

All of Lee's attacks were thwarted quickly and efficiently. He was so thrilled to be back in the saddle that he was tempted to march down to the hospital and insist on thanking Sakura some how for her assistance. A part of him wondered if that was just an excuse to see her again, for he would not have considered such actions with any other medic. Any such gratitude would have to wait. The sun set informed him that he was expected back for the dreaded date. He realised, quite abruptly, that until he was released from his most recent obligation there was little point in planning anything. His free time was not really his own until he was set free from the duty he had reluctantly agreed to. He would be obligated to join Naruto and Hinata on any and all outings and it was not fair to ask them to put their plans on hold. Accompanying them on dates left him no time for his own and so he decided to wait.

Lee was as animated as ever, tearily wishing the him luck whilst spouting off some nonsense about Naurto being in the blossom of springtime youth, making Neji wish he had never mentioned why he had to cut their training session short. He raced back to the estate and took a shower just in time to emerge and find Naruto waiting impatiently in the courtyard.

As it happened Neji did not have to make small talk or wait for Naruto to wander over. Hinata's chakra signature floated down the hall and soon enough she emerged dressed in a clean training outfit.

"Hinata-chan!" It was as if a light went on. The blondes face lit up and his posture straightened. In a flash reminiscent of his late father the worlds saviour was at the heiress' side. For her part the normally pale woman went instantly red when strong arms captured her and for a second Neji was concerned that she might revert back to old habits. Thankfully Hinata fortified herself and responded by drawing closer to her beau. One calloused had drifted dangerously low on the young woman's back but remained just within the bounds of what their grandfather would have considered decent, though not acceptable.

"You call this your best behaviour?" he asked, his tone as dry as the dessert dunes of Suna. He had been right to infer that the two might be nauseatingly cute. It was the perfect way to describe what he was witnessing. The sun kissed skin of Naruto's nose nuzzled Hinata affectionately causing the young woman to stutter breathlessly whilst smiling. Neji had thought about the limits of what would be acceptable on his watch and decided to stick to the more traditional guide lines for everyones peace of mind. Hand holding and hugging would be the limit, for now at least.

Naruto blinked big blue eyes back at his exasperated stare. "Well you see we've been dating secretly-"

"Stop," he commanded, his voice more than a little curt. Truth be told, he had suspected as much. It was hard to feign ignorance when all the signs pointed to the truth. In the past Hinata would not have been able to look the jinchuriki in the eye let alone hold his hand, which suggested that she had been spending a considerable about of time with him. Still, he could claim ignorance if all he had were suspicions. "Don't tell me anything you don't want the council to know."

"Ugh, fine. Way to be a buzz kill." Blue eyes rolled into what could only be described as a shady sidelong glance at the man who stood near by. He had thought that having a friend watch over them might be a a good thing. In retrospect they may have chosen the right friend for the wrong reasons. With Neji as the guardian they were beyond reproach, but he was unlikely to bend the rules, not without plausible deniability as to the goings on. The issue at hand was how they would go about life without Neji Noticing. Neji noticed everything. Naruto sniffed. He had a potential solution but he had hoped it would not be needed. "Seriously, are you going to be like this the whole time?"

Hinata tugged at Naruto's sleeve. "Nii-san is just doing his job Naruto-kun," she reminded him gently.

"I know, I know," he said, his terseness evaporating as quickly as it had arrived. A word from her brought the easy going smile back to his whiskered face. "I'm just glad to be out with you Hinata-chan. I thought we might stay casual for our 'first date'."

"I-Ichrurakus?" Her eyes lit up. How many times had she envisioned herself sitting next to her beloved Naruto in the restaurant that was like his second home without having to hide the fact that they were on a date? Too many to count and today it was finally going to happen.

Naruto wanted to shout but he had been working on a more diplomatic tone. Kakashi had informed him that his enthusiastic shouting, while endearing, was not going to suit every situation. He would need to learn to adapt to different situations whilst remaining himself at the same time. The woman next to him was one of the few people who truly accepted him. As such he had been making it a point not to take for granted her accepting nature and always checked to see if she was truly interested in what they were doing. "Yeah, but if you want we can go somewhere else."

His back peddle was noticed and Hinata shook her head vigorously. "N-n-no, Ichirakus is great." Her fingers gripped the edge of her purple and grey jacket nervously and her pupil less eyes darted between the two men. She was unsure about something, he could tell, but he was not sure what exactly.

Neji raised an elegant dark brow. His thoughts were clear, so much so that even the normally oblivious Naruto caught on with ease.

"What? " Naruto asks indignantly. When the questioning gaze did not falter Naruto sniffed. "Ichirakus is the best." His grumble did not go unnoticed, but it remained a grumble, failing to crescendo as it normally would have.

Scepticism emanated from the male Hyuuga at the statement. In all the years they had been going to the small ramen stand he could never claim that they were his personal favorite. Ramen, while nice on a chilly day, was not something he would eat everyday. He was over ruled in that department. All of Konoha now deemed ramen to be the food of champions and he supposed there was some truth to it. Jiraiya-sama, Tsunade-sama, Namekaze-sama, Kakashi-sama, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura had all eaten there regularly at one time or another and all were considered legends in their fields. Even Gaara had a fondness for the meal.

Still it did not seem to be the place to take someone on an offial date. When Neji thought of a date the image he conjured was one that Tenten had spouted off to him after a date with one of the young men she was seeing. He could never recall any of their names, but he did vaguely remember what she said. Something about flowers, an expensive meal, and a walk home ensured that when the young man called for a second date she was all too happy to agree. Lee had been taking vigorous notes while he just wanted to get on with their training session. In the end the wistful expression she wore had etched a basic outline of a date in his mind. This was not really what she described but in a way it suited the pair before him.

"I don't mind, really Nii-san. I love ramen." Hinata's eager statement was full of excitement. He examined her smile and found it to be genuine. With that he gave up on going to eat elsewhere and resigned himself to ramen for a while. Under normal circumstances he might have continued to gripe but decided against it. The more he thought about it the more Ichiraku's made sense. It was a safe place for them. Somewhere too formal would prove difficult for Naruto, as would a place where he was not accustomed to the food. The little stall was cosy, the food a favorite of the two who mattered most, and the owners knew them. Perhaps the most important factor was that no one would think anything of the three shinobi going there. The lovebirds could have their first official date with little to no scrutiny or intrusion.

There were broad grins from behind the coutner as their most consistent customer graced the small but well loved outdoor stall. Ayame whipped down the counter quickly in anticipation of their arrival. Naruto tended to sit in the same place if he could and at the moment there were no other patrons. "Naruto-kun, the usual?"

A proud grin stretched jovial features to their limits as he shook his head and took his normal seat at the counter. Hinata slid onto the stool next to him, for once not hiding her own bashful smile behind a curtain of black silken bangs. "Nah, today's special. It's my first date with Hinata-chan."

The man whose name Neji could never recall but he knew as 'Pops' due to Naruto's boisterous greetings waved his ladle with eyes wrinkled in a broad grin that stretched from ear to ear. "Congraduations you two! I'll make something to mark the occasion."

"A number 4 for me please." Pops nodded and got to work on the new creation he had in mind for the lovebirds and what could be considered the simplest dish on the menu. He was perfectly happy with his choice though he realised that Naruto had clearly expected everyone to order the same thing. Blue eyes blinked owlishly at him in confusion. Whatever his thoughts were he kept them to himself and waited for their drinks to arrive.

The atmosphere was calm and friendly inside the small stand. Ayame and Hinata chatted amicably as the former made tea. Naruto peered around the pair to glance at a small cafe near by. At first Neji thought little of it but after whiskered cheeks turned in that direction three more times in less than a minute and a half, he decided to find out exactly what was so interesting.

She was hard to miss, sitting on the bench with her coffee held delicately in one hand. He was not sure how he had not spotted her before. Pink hair swayed in the gentle breeze and the street lamp lit up her side of the bench outside the cafe, illuminating the lightly tanned skin of her legs and the high points of her face. The ever darkening sky complimented her natural coloration and she was completely at ease, almost as though she was there by mere coincidence. But he knew better. She was positioned in the exact spot he would have chosen if he were to observe the couple; the perfect spot for Naruto to look back to her for her reassurance.

Her free hand waved at the blonde, egging him into joining Hinata in conversation, something he did with an awkward hand at the back of his head. Neji saw Sakura shake her head, throughly entertained by her friends antics. With the couple and Ayame now fully engrossed in a conversation, which he paid no attention to, he was at a loss of what to do.

He stood, excusing himself quietly though he was sure neither of them noticed. They were far too engaged in their conversation to pay him any mind. He took a few long strides across the street, his trajectory clear. He gave her plenty of time to move or pretend like she was not watching. She made no such attempt, waiting for him instead.

As he got closer she lifted her cup to her lips peering at him over the cardboard rim with an impish smile.

"Hello Neji-san. Fancy seeing you here." The clever medic took a sip, never letting her smile full of knowing and bemusement leaves her face. Her voice was melodic, and a fact that he had noticed earlier that day and many times before but the way it reached out to him in twilight made it seem as though the rest of the world was but a murmur around them.

"Indeed," he said, stopping just before the edge of her black heels. She made wearing them look effortless, which to his mind was impressive considering how uncomfortable they looked. Just like her shishou and senpai she sported the black heeled sandal like a trademark, the pink polish that matched her hair twinkling back at him. He could not begin to express how thrilled he was at finding her there. It solved his dilemma of creating time to see her. He knew it was not mere coincidence and also knew the she was not here for him. Naruto's assurance seeking glance in her direction earlier had spelled out her presence clearly. "I see you've been roped into this as well."

Cherry pink locks swayed in time with the movement of her head. "I like to think I volunteered," she said leaning back to get a better look at him, squinting for a split second. Her discomfort was due to the dying sun light streaming straight into her eyes. With a minor adjustment of his stance he rectified the issue. Green flickered towards the ramen stand and then fixated on his own enigmatic orbs, something he found only a select few were able to manage. "Naruto said he needed moral support. Besides, it's only fair. You're here to make sure that Hinata-chan's virtue is kept in tact and I'm here to make sure Naruto doesn't make a total ass out of himself."

It was a valid fear. Naruto was well known to put his foot in it, particularly where women were concerned, more specifically where Hinata was concerned. It was only right when looking at the situation through that lense that the single person in the village that could quite literally knock some sense into the man be close at hand. Sakura also happened to be one of the few people who could talk sense to him. She was the best choice.

"That was prudent of him," he admitted, genuinely impressed that the normally impulsive Naruto had thought ahead.

Pink glimmered across her cheek bones and he picked up on the way each strand of fine hair shone the light of the street lamp. "He is taking this very seriously, as I am sure you can imagine."

Neji could imagine and he could also see it with his own two eyes. Naruto was dedicated to the Hyuuga princess and for that Neji could not fault him in the slightest. He had hoped for some years that Hinata would get all of the things she wanted in life. This development was a major step in that direction. Neji could worry a little bit less about her, remanding her emotional care over to Naruto whom he knew would be a most devoted partner. This whole process would go much smoother with that confirmed, particularly if he could count on Sakura's support for Naruto.

With that a thought occurred. If Sakura was here then she was free, and while he was not technically unoccupied there was nothing in the rules that stopped her from taking part in the excursion. "Would you like to join us?" The question slipped out smoothly and it appeared to take her off guard a little bit for she simply stared at him for a few more seconds as she thought it over.

"I don't know if that's..." she began and quickly trailed off. She was concerned about getting in the way, something he could easily relate to. He was aware of his own failings. He was not the most social creature nor was he adept at human interactions of a more comical or emotional nature. If left alone with Hinata and Naruto he might hinder their evening. Admittedly that was part of his job, but he wanted it to seem like a real date. Having Sakura their would help; or at least he hoped it would.

Therefore when he saw that she was wavering between a yes and a no, he lowered and softened his voice. "I would be grateful for the company." He did not know how else to express it. He felt like a third wheel. With her present it would eliminate that. In fact, with Sakura there, he might begin to enjoy himself inspite of the other circumstances at play. And if she did not he was tempted to stay right there with her, watching from afar. The empty space next to her looked inviting, far more so than the ramen stand. She searched his face looking for sincerity, and so he did his best to show her what she was looking for.

This time she understood. Her legs stretched before she stood. "Well, when you put it like that, how can I say no."

The walk back to the ramen stand was short, quiet, and pleasant. He did find that he had to shorten his steps to allow her to walk a leisure by his side but he did so willingly. They entered the stall, Neji holding up the awning to let her enter uninhibited only to discover that he did not need to. She was petite, a fact he a known but was now rediscovering. The length of her legs and the slenderness of her figure were deceptive. Her competence coupled with her personality made her seem like a much more imposing figure when she wished to be. Standing at his side her head would have been about chin height. Without her heels she would have barely reached the tops of his shoulders. Needed or not, she appreciated the gesture and entered the warmth of the stall which managed to stay piping hot even in the coldest weather due to the stoves.

His charges had been so wrapped up in each other they had not noticed his departure but now turned to greet them. "Sakura-chan!" the pair chimed in chorus along with the proprietors of the now famous ramen stand.

Sakura closed her eyes and waved her hands taking the seat next to Hinata. "Hello everyone, don't mind me. I'm just here to keep this one company. Pretend like we don't exist." The pair took her at her word and continued slurping at their noodles with wide smiles and rosy cheeks.

He had been hoping her presence would ease things, but it seemed that they were too at home in her company. With the sannin now wedged firmly between himself and the couple Naruto and Hinata were all giggles, blushes, and canoodling. He quickly averting his eyes when the sight of Naruto feeding Hinata noodles made its way into his perhiferals.

He heard Sakura chuckle and focused his line of sight on her, something he was finding easier and easier. "You look uncomfortable Neji-san."

Her deduction was correct. He was uncomfortable. The seat was too hard, the countertop a little sticky from whomever had been seated there prior regardless of the brief cleaning, and the sound of slurping always got on his nerves. "Hn."

His confirmation brought a hum to her vocals. She sipped at her coffee thoughtfully. "Is it because of Naruto and Hinata or because you would rather not be playing mother hen?"

She was perceptive; always had been. The way her inflection fell on the words she had already had a pretty good idea as to what was bothering him. She merely wanted confirmation, just as she had when she had been examining him. He appreciated her lack of assumption and could honestly say it was refreshing to have someone ask him instead of putting words in his mouth. "They are adults," he clarified, hoping to convey what he truly meant by that. It was more complicated than that and yet it was not.

Much to his relief she beamed at him. "Agreed," she said leaning in to whisper in his ear the scent of fresh apples invading his senses. "To be honest I'm just glad he finally noticed. I have to admit I was a little worried she might give up, but all of that effort was worth it."

The knowing smile, the jingle in her voice, all pointed to one conclusion. "You knew," he stated, leaning into the secret she was sharing with him. Now that she was out of the hospital he found that her professional demeanor had altered to a much more friendly and playful version of herself, which he recalled from years past.

"I helped set them up. He can be dense but a few shoves in the right direction did the trick." Her voice dipped down a velvety timber that he had never heard her use before. He normally would have associated that with a more serious line of conversation, and she was serious but there was a teasing in her tone. The jovial quality laced into her deeper tone was like a melody and he could have continued to listen to her talk well into the night. In fact he intended to. He could also see how it might be easy for someone to get lost in conversation with her and spill all of their secrets. It would have been easy to confide in her. "She asked for help and I knew he was just too much of an idiot to see what was right in front of him. I couldn't reject her request. I think you might know a bit about that too."

His brow shot up and he realised that not only had she set them up but she had most likely had been aiding in their secret relationship to some extent. Haruno Sakura had helped orchestrate their debut into the world. It was a testament to how much she loved the two of them both individually and together. She was honored to have assisted them, no matter how much or little they needed her.

The rest of the meal was pleasant, with them paired off amicably. Neji had always been interested in the wealth of knowledge she possessed and used the opportunity to ask her about her work and training. Before he knew it they were wrapped in a discussion on centrifugal force and the way motion played with the physical manifestation of chakra outside the body.

Long before he was ready the sound of a hand patting a protruding belly made its way over to them. "Well that was excellent as always. Where to next?" Naruto rubbed his belly in satisfaction looking to his companion for guidance as they all moved to stand.

Hinata looked around nervously. Even amongst friends, being put on the spot could cause her discomfort. Her body language screamed the desire to either hunker down or run but she did neither of those things. Twisting her jacket over her stomach she deffered the decision to another, without stuttering. "Sakura-chan?"

Sakura searched their expressions for a moment, making sure they were all aright with her making the choice. She pivoted on her heel and took a confidant step into the street. "I thought we might get some shaved ice." He was not sure how she had managed to pick the one single sweet treat he liked but she had and he was not going to complain about it. Instead he was going to make sure it was the right stand, for one could not have shaved ice from just any old pedlar. Once again she seemed to read his mind. "There is a good stand by the Kage monument."

He had to admit that he was not surprised to find that she was already turned in that direction, the swing of her hips beckoning him to follow her. He had not minded before and he certainly did not now.

The open space before the faces was not so green as one might have expected. It had been cleared in the construction and as such the perfect space for various different food stalls. Not too far away was a noodle stand and the scent of fried udon and beef filled the air. As they approached the cart Sakura pivoted on her heels, walking backwards to make sure she could see everyone. "What am I ordering?"

They all waited for their shyest member to begin. Hinata traced a line with the toe of her shoe in the dirt which formed a makeshift path that had been worn into the earth by people just like them looking to beat the heat and find a spot under the shade of the near by trees. "A l-l-lemon for me, thank you Sakura-chan."

"Orange, of course," Naruto said with a snicker. Having been made aware of his connection with the bright color he had been going out of his way to incorporate it even more into his routine. To many it seemed like he was doing his damndest to make the color orange senonomus with Uzumaki Naruto, his own personal branding.

He had intended to offer his assistance with getting the cooling treats, but she was too quick. She had his sleeve between her fingertips and it did not take much coaxing to pull him away form the tree that the couple in his charge had found themselves under. With a skip in her step Sakura approached the stall only letting go of his sleeve to reach into her pouch to retrieve funds. The young man behind the ice maker spotted her candy colored tresses and froze up. "One lemon, one orange, one cherry, and one..."

"Lime, please," he said, to the man at the stall. The young teen who had been staring at Sakura quickly went about getting their orders. one by one the vibrant ice mounds made their way into their hands. Her cherry flavor was the last but as soon as she had it she thanked the young man and turned towards the couple that waited for them.

She took a small bite of her treat, her eyes closing in joy. A small hum emanated from her throat made his whole body stop, his mouth just above his own cooling treat. For the briefest instant he spotted a swipe of her tongue over her pink lips and he was frozen to the spot, completely transfixed. "Mmmm, I just love shaved ice in the summer. Always hits the spot don't you think?"

"Hn," he said snapping out of it just in time for Naruto to run up and remove the lemon and orange shaved ice from them. He raced back to his girlfriends side and once they each had their shaved ice he grabbed Hinata around the waist just as he had earlier.

The hero let a foxy grin take over his features, particularly proud of himself. His chest was puffed and his eyes glimmering. And who could blame him? He was finally able to announce to his city, to the world, that he and Hinata were officially a couple. Life could not have been better. The four of them walked quietly for a time, silently heading back in the general direction of the Hyuuga estate.

One by one they finished their dessert. When Sakura began to search for a bin Neji extended his hand out to take her finished carton. She handed it to him gratefully. He quietly slipped the cartons in a near by trash can and promptly returned to her side in a few strides. Naruto let out a long but pleased yawn. His arms stretched over his head and then, none too subtly, turned towards his lady love. "Aren't the stars the best?"

Hinata leaned into the embrace hardly noticing the stars at all. "Yes, they are beautiful," she said, a bit breathless at the feel of Naruto's fingertips on her full cheeks.

Neji was about to object, for he could see where this was going, when green filled his vision. The blacks of her pupils to shrunk in the street light. All he could do was stare, a state he was finding himself in far too frequently. Slivers of emerald, jade, silver, and gold were intricately woven together like cracks in glass bottle that had yet to fully break. He leaned in, facilitated by the layers and facets of her colorful irises that had locked onto his own. "Just look at me Neji-san. No need to report what you don't see, right?" she asked, with the same coy smile he had noticed earlier set firmly in place.

"Hn." He reacted on instinct, not sure exactly what else there was to say. She had stolen the words from him, robbed him of all sense and he did not know what to make of that. There was a lot, he mused, he would need to think over when the moment ended, much he needed to take into consideration. For now he was content to take her in, for looking into her eyes was like looking into the depths of her soul. What he found here was not perfect or innocent- which of them could claim to be such- but beautiful and strong, just as he knew her to be.

A thump from behind her made Sakura turn her head, the swish of her hair just missing his nose. What he did catch was the hint of apples that she left in her wake. "Oh for heavens sake," she said with a small stamp of her foot at the sight before her, a move that brought little cracks in the concrete to creep out from under her foot.

Hinata was slumped down in Naruto's arms. The young woman was awkwardly held up from under her arms. her head fell back and in her limp state she was eventually going to slip to the ground in a puddle. "Sakura-chan, what do I do?!" he screamed frantically. The shout did not rouse the limp woman in his arms and he continued to panic, attempting to hoist her back up and wake her at the same time. Instead of waking her it looked considerably more like he was shaking her.

Sakura rushed over with her chakra activated peeling the heiress from her beau. One arm scooped up Hinata and supported her against Sakrua's chest while the other arm pushed at Naruto's. "Stop flailing about like a chicken." Her words left her moth just as her fingertips left Naruto's person and all parties involved realized what was happening before his feet left the ground. Sadly there was little Sakura could do. Her teammate went flying headlong into a near by brick wall. A loud thump made Sakura and Neji grimace simultaneously. When the man failed to clamber back towards them the two chaperones jogged over. Sakura and Neji looked at each other and then down at the man who was now knocked out on the ground. Sakura let out a long sigh. "Well, shit," she said, the glow of her hands bringing a green tinge to their corner of the world.

It was all he could do not to laugh. The twist of his lips went unnoticed by his companion who was too busy checking over their charges for injuries. "I believe that might be the end of the night."

Sakura huffed. Her dismay, which existed alongside carefully veiled humor, twisted together in her voice and the set of her shudders. "What a way to end their first date. I feel awful."

When he spoke his tone was soft but direct and it cut straight through her growing guilt. "Suiting though." Sakura thought it over and slowly she came to see his perspective.

"Now that you mention it, I suppose it is. They were bound to end a date like this so it might as well be the first one." Her serious tone denoted so much truth that for a short time they just stared at the scene before them. Neji felt the rumble in his chest and the noise caught her attention. It was contagious and slowly she joined him, now that she knew that the lovers would be alright. Their laughter filled the quiet street and in due course subsided.

As entertaining as the predicament was they could not be left on the road side. Sakura kept her chakra flowing and healing while she reached for the heiress. "Well, let's get these two back home," she said lifting Hinata to his awaiting arms before turning to pick up the hokage-to-be. "Kami of all the things to happen. If only she hadn't fainted." Her lament was accented by her hoisting the tall man into her back. She stayed close enough to keep one hand on Hinata's leg while the other focused on Naruto.

He had to agree. That would have spelled the end of the evening even if Sakura had not knocked out Naruto by accident. "We must get her past that," he mused both to himself and in the hope that he might have some assistance in this endeavor.

Neji felt the soft bump of a hip and Naruto's knee into his leg. "That's the spirit Neji-san," she said with a grin that warmed his chest and tugged on his lips.

A stirring from Neji's arms alerted him to the fact that Hinata was coming round. He never saw her eyes open though he knew she must have caught sight of Sakura and Naruto, the later being carried on the petites woman's back. There was a small whimper and then a pale hand raised to her forehead. "I fainted didn't it?" Dejected and forlorn the mumble was just barely audible but both nins heard enough to get the gist.

Sakura nodded, doing her best not to knock into Naruto's hard head. The glowing green hand resting on Hinata's shin patted the young woman whilst never halting the healing session she was conducting. "It's alright. And don't worry about him, he's fine." Her words were accented by a mumble and a nuzzle to the side of Sakura's cheek by the man in question, a motion that was oddly platonic despite his proximity. Hinata just nodded curling up in embarrassment.

The green glow of her charka was as reassuring as ever and he knew that the injured pair were in good hands, even if one of the injuries had been caused by her. It was strange but he would honestly say he had not spent such an unusual but enjoyable night out in a very long time. It was all thanks to her really. As they approached the entrance to the estate, the Hyuuga kanji and symbol looking over them with each step. He had been wanted to express his appreciation and the closer they got to the Hyuuga house the closer she would be to leaving. It was now or never. "Thank you for joining us, and for earlier."

"Anytime," she chirped returning her hand to hold Naruto under his knees. How she had managed on the walk over Neji did not know but he could only attest it to her monstrous strength.

The Huuuga male intend to say more but the words stilled in his throat at the sight of one of his family members waiting just inside the entrance of the estate. "What is the meaning of this?" The Elder demanded, not sure what to make of his granddaughters bleary expression. Hinata passed him and slipped onto the lantern lit veranda looking for the comfort of her room.

"She fainted and I accientdly knocked him out," Sakura stated with no sign of shame, only amusement. The powerhouse on her back shifted snuggling into her as if she was a teddy bear. A mumble was followed by a snore and Sakura hoisted him up to get a better grip. It was a sight that distinctly reminded Neji of that creature Naruto had looked after fo a time. The Uzumaki's heels were dangling close to her shins and his long arms were threatening to squeeze her shoulders too tightly but she did not seem to mind much. "Don't worry, I'll take him home. Night Neji-san." With a tilt of her head she turned and walked into the night.

"Hn." The Elders characteristic grunt was filled with dissapproval, but if she noticed she did not let it get to her. She kept walking with her head held as high as holding Naruto would allow.

"Good night Sakura-san." He had not expected his whisper to be heard. He said it so quietly he barely registered his own words, but when she turned around and waved a hand from her hip she smiled so brightly he was convinced she had. His lips tilted up when the warmth that she radiated from her being spread through is chest.

* * *

Neji looked around the table. It was rare for him to join in the morning meal. He was never one for family functions and that extended to daily activities too. He much preferred to take his meals alone, especially morning ones. He was not a morning person or so he had discovered over the course of many years with Konoha's green beasts, both of whom were eager early risers. Even Tenten was more attuned to the mornings than the evenings. So he trudged through the morning sessions diligently, albeit in a grump for years and over time everyone learned not to get in his way. He supposed that was why they all gave him a wide birth.

Usually when in town he chose to eat on his own before the others and meditate until he awoke fully. Yet here he was, braving a social breakfast with his family. Well, as social as a Hyuuga meal could get. His uncle and The Elder sat in stone cold silence, their differences from the day before carrying overnight. Neji did not see that standoff going away unil Hiashi was able to do something about the courting situation.

Hinata and Hanabi appeared to be ignoring the tension between their elders for different reasons. Hanabi, like himself, was not one for mornings and had zombied her way to the table for a much anticipated injection of caffeine and a small bite to eat. She was unlikely to care about much else until the fog that effected her thought process lifted. Hinata attempted to hide a blush and a prominent smile behind the glaze of her mug but they all knew she had little hope of keeping her joy a secret. She had finally made her debut with Naurto the evening before and unless he was much mistaken they would be going out later as well.

Neji set his rice bowl down along with his utensils. Pale eyes focused on his cousin when his head turned, watching for a moment as she hummed a happy little diddy to herself. He did not think she meant to celebrate out loud for her whole face turned tomato red when she noticed his gaze on her.

"Y-Y-Yes, Nii-san?" Her stutter was prominent, a sign that he had unintentionally made her nervous. He could only hope that more time with Naruto made her less sensitive. It was bound to, for there was not a bashful bone in the blondes body.

"I did not realise you were such good friends with Sakura-san," he stated in an attempt to bring up the woman who had plagued his thoughts the entire evening before. She had struck a cord in him. Their evening together had confirmed that he liked being around her and, truth be told, he wanted to spend more time with her.

"Yes, she has been a wonderful friend," Hinata said, the fondness in her tone was unmistakeable able and brought a gentle crease to her eyes when her cheeks raised.

A wrinkled hand reached out for the tea pot that sat in the center of the table. "Haruno Sakura? The medic?" His grandfather asked, suddenly showing an interest in their conversation.

Neji would have snorted had the noise not come from Hanabi before he got the chance. His little cousin rolled her eyes. The idea that their grandfather had not recognised Sakura the night before was laughable. She was one of the most recognisable nins in the world due to her unique coloration and highly specialised skill set. The elders gaze narrowed at his youngest grandchild choosing not to say anything and wait for Hinata to answer his question. With her point gotten across Hanabi tucked back into her beverage. A curtian of black bangs shone when Hinata tucked her head down, as she had never been able to look the older man in the eyes. "S-S-Sakura-chan is very close to Naruto-kun," Hinata explained diligently.

The older mans brow scrunched and rose at the same time, a sign that he was about to draw an unnessicary conclusion from Hinata's description. In an attempt to keep his cousin from getting frazzled, for outside of her family and old teammates there were two precious people whom she would hear no ill against, Neji interjected. "They were on the same team," he explained with deliberate punctuation on certain syalbles to make sure his grandfather was paying attention.

"I recall," The Elder stated dryly. His frown was firmly in place as he continued, "she is powerful, though her temper is unseemly."

Neji did not know how his grandfather managed to compliment someone and then immidetly follow the praise with harsh judgement. As for the temper, he had always thought Sakura was more fiery than outright aggressive. When she did lash out it was almost always because her ridiculous teammates were up to something. Regardless it had been sometime since Sakura had stepped in to correct the more stubborn members of Team Seven. "It is part of her charm," he explained, the words clearly defensive.

"The lesser of the evils that one might inherit from Tsunade-sama," Hiashi mused. He had a fondness for the woman in question who's temper only appeared when prompted by her unruly teammates. She had calmed considerably once exiting her teens and was a pleasure to speak to. He was also aware of the reputation she held in the village. Few could claim to be so well respected by the public, both at home and amongst other nations. Her efforts in the war and her subsequent care for the traumatized children made her a favorite in their midst. She was not from a shinobi family nor was she arrogant in her achievements and that endeared her to civilians around the world. Many a young girl wanted to be like the renowned Sakura-hime. She was her masters protege, and Konoha could not have been prouder to have a daughter such as she. Hiashi cleared his throat. "I believe it was that spark that made it possible for her to thrive under Tsunade-sama's tutelage where others might have failed." His uncle made an excellent point. There were few that could thrive under Tsunade's strict regimen. Even Shizune had not completed the course. Sakura wore the symbol of her power proudly for the world to see. No one could take that from her. "It was there long before she began her apprenticeship."

"Sakura-chan has always been quite spirited," Hinata aquiested with a great deal of humor lacing her tone. Neji did not need to guess as to what had his cousin so bemused. More than once or twice Sakura's animated personality had gotten her into hot water and had earned those around her a peace of her mind and fists.

"That is one way to put it," their grandfather scoffed and then finally quieted, focusing on his traditional breakfast.

Neji decided to ignore him. It tended to be the best way to deal with the elder. Being passed over did make the man cross but ultimately Neji did not mind him being cross so long as his derisive tone remained on his side of the table. He returned his attention to the subject at hand, namely the woman whose beguiling stare had haunted him all evening. "Do you spend much time with her?"

"Yes, she has been a great support." Hinata smiled thinking back on all of the help Sakura had been. Was it not for her there might have been no relationship between herself and Naruto. The black haired beauty set her tea down and turned her full attention to her curious cousin. Unless she was mistaken Neji was asking after their beloved Sakura-chan for a reason. She could only hope it was what she thought it was.

"Will she be likely to join us again on the next outing?" His face was set intently on her, waiting for an answer. He was trying not to come off too eager but if he was honest with himself he was. He wanted to see Sakura and if she agreed to it, then they could preform his chaperoning duties together, a possibility that made the whole affair far more appealing.

"What brought on the sudden interest Nii-san?" The two stared at each other. Without a word he went back to eating, suddenly thankful to have ventured out to the family meal. Hinata did her best to hide her mirth but a part of her was deserpate to have another date as soon as possible. She was already excited enough with the simple prospect of seeing her beloved Naruto again without having to hide but now there was the added bonus of setting her Nii-san up with one of her best friends. For whether he knew it or not, he liked the pink haired sannin a great deal. Hinata would be damned if she as going to let this rare admission, no matter how small, pass her by without doing anything about it. "I will ask Naruto-kun to bring her along."

* * *

End Comments: Ok, so I realize that Naruto getting knocked out is unlikely but it is the sort of thing that might happen in the more relaxed parts of the anime (ie. the fillers). For anyone who is curious I am still updating Breath of Fresh Air. Now that Consider All Options is wrapped up and this chapter is now out, that is my next project. I also have an epilogue of sorts for Undercover, but that will come later. And for those of you who have been asking I do have a SakuSasu in the works and a potential GaaraSaku. BUT I won't publish those until I am done with BOFA. As always I have no beta (though recently someone did offer for this fic- I am thinking about it, I promise!) so please forgive any mistakes you find. I do my best to fix them when I spot them. Review are always greatly appreciated, but please no flames. I hope you enjoyed this. Until next time!


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